THE HUMAN SPECIES. 73 



only of late years, that in making excavations at the 

 depth of several feet below the present surface of the 

 town, a former level was found, with numerous frag- 

 ments of Etruscan and Roman pottery ; and, at a still 

 greater depth, a second floor, where all the earthenware 

 fragments proved to be Etruscan alone, and there were 

 vestiges of a theatre ? In these facts, both the raising 

 of the soil, and progress of alluvial deposits, are de- 

 monstrated in waters but little disturbed by marine 

 currents, and during a space of 3000 years. 



THE EGEAN. 



IN the Egean, volcanic disturbances have been and still 

 are exceedingly numerous and destructive. From the 

 remotest periods recorded, islands have risen up from 

 the sea ; such as volcanic Delos, overhung with vapours 

 to the present time; or torn from the continent of 

 Asia, like Samos, with its ancient organic remains of 

 Neiades, and craters, one of which commenced latterly 

 to furnish a rivulet running to the sea ; and other 

 islands, within these few years, have been visited by 

 earthquakes of the most calamitous violence. Through 

 the Cyclades there came, in remote antiquity, a sea 

 wave, raised up by some volcanic convulsion, which 

 desolated Greece, and is recorded as one of the deluges ; 

 while other percussions opened the passage already 

 mentioned, for lowering the surface of the Euxine into 

 the Propontis, and thence to the Egean; an event 



